Watch Wavelength

Wavelength is a 1967 experimental film directed and written by Hollis Frampton, a pioneer of avant-garde cinema. The film is a unique exploration of perception and time, constructed through a series of static shots that gradually transform and evolve. The movie opens with a long, static shot that slowly zooms in on a New York City loft, filled with vintage furniture and scattered sheets of paper. The camera focuses on one particular area, as we see an old radio and a photograph of a young woman. Suddenly, the radio crackles to life, playing a series of increasingly intense noises.

As the camera continues to zoom in, we see a series of abstract images that gradually transform and evolve. We see the waves of the ocean, the clouds in the sky, and the shimmering city skyline. The soundscape of the film also transforms, as we hear a series of eerie tones and noises that gradually build in intensity.

Throughout the film, we see a series of still images that gradually transform and evolve. We see a photograph of a woman's face, which slowly fades and dissolves into a series of abstract shapes and colors. We also see a series of geometrical patterns, which gradually shift and change in response to the soundscape of the film.

As the film progresses, we hear a series of voices - including an astronomer, a telephone operator, and a man discussing a painting - which provide a disjointed narrative structure to the film. These voices are distorted and interrupted by the soundscape of the film, adding to the surreal and dreamlike atmosphere of the movie.

At the halfway point of the film, we see a sudden shift in perspective - as the camera turns 180 degrees to show us the loft from a different angle. We see a woman (played by Lyne Grossman) lying motionless on the floor, as the camera pans over her body and face. The images are distorted and disorienting, as we see a series of close-ups and wide shots that gradually reveal more details about the scene.

From this point on, the film becomes increasingly abstract and surreal, as we see a series of images and sounds that are not directly connected to the narrative or the setting. We see a long shot of the ocean, with the sound of crashing waves in the background; we see a photograph of a man (played by Naoto Nakazawa) on a skateboard, slowly moving across the floor of the loft; we see a series of geometric patterns and colors, which gradually dissolve and transform.

The final shot of the film is one of the most famous and striking images in all of avant-garde cinema. We see a long, static shot of a photograph of the ocean, with the sound of waves crashing in the background. The image gradually zooms in, revealing a series of abstract shapes and colors that dissolve and transform. The film then cuts to black, ending with a profound sense of uncertainty and abstraction.

Wavelength is an incredibly ambitious and experimental film, which explores the boundaries of perception, time, and language. Frampton uses a variety of techniques, including long static shots, abstract imagery, and distorted sounds, to create a world that is both familiar and strange. The film asks questions about the nature of perception and knowledge, and challenges viewers to think beyond the limitations of language and narrative. It is a truly unique and unforgettable experience in cinema history.